


Mistakes

by KibaSin



Series: Past Time [52]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale, 幽☆遊☆白書 | YuYu Hakusho: Ghost Files
Genre: Bad Decisions, F/M, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-30
Updated: 2013-11-30
Packaged: 2018-01-03 00:21:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1063443
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KibaSin/pseuds/KibaSin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She hadn't understood and she'd gotten her soul locked away, her body in suspended animation until she was saved. However, because of her mistake Koenma has no choice but to punish her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mistakes

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any material belonging to the respective owners of _Inuyasha_ or _Yu Yu Hakusho_.

* * *

Her head bowed, a sad smile forming onto her lips, "I didn't understand."

Koenma frowned at the answer, folding his hands as he crossed his long, teenage legs. Closing his eyes, he sighed, "I'm afraid that does not answer the question I asked, Kagome-san."

Her smile lingered, even though a single, crystal blue tear fell from her glittering blue eyes. "Actually," she said softly, "that is the only answer I can give you. I didn't understand the truth behind the Shikon no Tama, and because of that I failed as its protector."

She looked like such a lonely girl, lost and confused in the world she once knew so well. Koenma was not quite sure why his father wished to toy with her life more than he already had in order to keep the balance of life in order. They had watched her divine soul since before he could remember, but the records of her travels had been lost to the ages and no one had expected her to fail.

"Please," he said, "tell me what happened, Kagome-san."

"I held the Shikon no Tama in my hand," she began, "because Inuyasha had told me that he didn't want it any longer, that he was fine the way he was. I remember staring at it, trying to think of a wish that would cause the jewel to leave the world so that no more innocent lives would be harmed by its pull. The others had crowded around me, and I know they all thought that I would be able to pick a pure wish, one that would cause the jewel to disappear. But, I didn't, I chose an impure wish."

"What did you wish for?" he asked softly. Seeing her this way after so many years of seeing her smile, of watching her glimmer in happiness, was hard.

"I wished that that everyone ever harmed by Naraku would get a second chance at happiness," she whispered.

Koenma had a feeling he knew where this was going. "Please continue."

"Once I made the wish, I heard Midoriko's soul scream echo as if it had touched my soul, while the demon trapped inside the Shikon with her laughed. I heard her screaming that she had thought I knew what to wish for after everything I'd been through, but that she didn't blame me, because anyone could have made such a mistake. But, as quickly as I heard her, she was gone, and I looked around to find that Kikyo, Kohaku, Kagura, Kanna, Hakudoushi, and many of Naraku's other incarnations had been revived around us.

"Kagura was grateful to be free, but she flew off as soon as she stated that she would no longer have anything to do with us—I'm not sure where she went. Kanna looked confused, before stepping up to Kikyo's side, saying that she would serve her as she had served her last master. Hakudoushi looked angry, but said that if I ever needed him he would come to my aid until he had repaid for his life, but then he disappeared into the forest as well. Kikyo gave her a look that said she was disappointed in me, and Kohaku was simply hugging his sister."

Kagome sighed, "I'm not sure where the other incarnations vanished to, but I'm sure that they caused havoc as every other evil being hurt by Naraku did. I don't remember everything, because after I had glanced at Inuyasha—he had gone to Kikyo's side—I felt like I was beginning to freeze up, as if I couldn't move anything. And then everything went black for a while, apparently centuries, before your detectives found me inside Midoriko's cave."

"I see," Koenma said. "It was because of that wish that so many wars broke out within the demon society, and why a century later it was decided to split the Makai away from the Ningenkai." He frowned, clasping his hands together in front of his face while his elbows rested on his desk. "I'm afraid that though the split has been almost completely affective, your wish caused mass death among demons. It also broke the peace that had settled within most of the human populations, which eventually caused revolts and those events eventually made the world we now live in. But, I'm afraid that such a wish was still dangerous, and my father has demanded punishment."

"I understand," she said. "But, may I ask a question?"

"Of course," Koenma nodded.

"Are any of the demons I knew still alive?" Kagome asked. "I'm sure that you know who they are, you knew mostly everything about me when I came in here."

"Unfortunately most of the records concerning your travels were lost, I am not aware of the demons you're speaking of," Koenma replied. "Though, Yusuke was a bit reluctant to tell me that a white-haired demon named Hakudoushi had beaten him until they explained that they would be reviving you from your sleep. Apparently he has been watching over the cave you were resting within in order to make sure that you were not harmed before awakening."

She smiled, "I see. I'm glad; he was a lot of help once he decided that he wished to kill Naraku as much as we did. I think he would have died much sooner if we hadn't stopped Naraku from absorbing him back into his body. I'm happy, though, that he's become so strong."

"Yes, I believe he has been ranked as an upper A class demon," Koenma sighed. It would not be good to have such a demon against him. He supposed that the punishment he would have to settle on her shoulders was enough to bring out the sadistic demons rage, but not enough to have him torture him to death. Then again, though he had kept track of the demons progression, he supposed that even Hakudoushi would not be able to stand up to his father's SDF—but he did not wish for the situation to come to that.

"Do you know of Shippo?" she asked quietly. "Or Sesshoumaru? Kouga, even? I have a feeling that Inuyasha spent his life happy with the love of his life, before he finally died knowing that he would get to rest with her."

Koenma knew those names quite well. "The hanyou Inuyasha did die some two hundred years ago, and he was happy to be reunited with his lover. I believe they were being scheduled for reincarnation some time ago, but my father was taking care of the event.

"Shippo is a general to Lord Sesshoumaru's army. I hear he is quite skilled, and has grown to be a fine demon, though he is still prone to using tricks. I believe he has been ranked as an upper B class demon.

"Lord Sesshoumaru owns the land that his father acquired long ago, and he does not take part in most other affairs in the Makai since the world was split. However, I believe that word has spread of him forming an alliance with Mukuro," Koenma shuddered a bit, "He comes in to see my father once in a while concerning the Makai, but I try not to get in his way."

"And what class is he?" Kagome asked out of curiosity.

"An S class," he replied instantly. "Kouga is also an upper A class, and if my information is correct he has mated with the wolf demon Ayame, thus uniting his tribe with the Northern Wolves."

"Well, at least they're still alright," she smiled. "I'm happy for them. Especially Kouga and Ayame, since they deserve to be happy, instead of constantly trying to gain the affections of someone who doesn't want them."

Koenma frowned, remembering when the girl had been sweet and innocent before she had been dragged down the well on her family's shrine. His father had watched her for years, allowing him to watch and wait with him, wondering when the exact moment she would go into the past would be. Now, she seemed so much wiser and older after going through the greatest trial of her life, but it was only just the beginning. His father demanded that she be punished because she had been the cause, another piece of information lost to the ages, and even if he did not wish to be the one to give it out, he knew that he could not go against the Mighty Enma.

"They deserve to be happy," she repeated, smiling to herself.

He almost felt like asking why she sounded like she was saying  _she_  did not deserve happiness. However, he crushed the question down before they could pour from his mouth, and gave another sigh. "Kagome-san, I believe that it is time that we discuss your punishment," he said. It would be better to get it over with quickly, rather than wondering what other insane thoughts could force their way into his mind because of the woman before him.

"I understand," she nodded.

"My father has placed his foot down, and your punishment will be to protect the worlds that you forced into separation. You will be directly linked with the barrier that separates them, and  _you_  will be the one to decide who crosses from that moment on. Should any demon managed to slip by your power, you will be sent out along with my detectives in order to eliminate the threat." Koenma almost flinched as he continued, "In addition, your sentence will require you to severe all ties with the family that you knew in this time period. You are to say your goodbyes, and willingly allow them to have their memories of you erased, or you will be executed on the spot. You will live your life in a somewhat peaceful here in the Reikai—my father has already had the room prepared."

She visibly stiffened at his words, and then raised her eyes to catch sight of his soft hazel ones. He seemed to be apologizing in a silent way, but the sting that was left behind would not leave. However, it was her punishment, and she knew she deserved it, no matter how much she did not wish to give up her mother, her brother, or her grandfather.

"However," Koenma coughed, "I could have it scheduled for their memories to resurface when they die, allowing you to seek their company before they are selected for reincarnation."

"No," she whispered softly.

Koenma looked startled, "What?"

"No," she said again. "I will not force them to forget me, and then remember me when they die. It would not be fair to them to never know I existed, and then have it all rush back once they are here. I know that they would never resent me for doing it, they would all understand, but I won't force that on them. I will live on, even if they don't know me anymore."

His heart felt like it was being tugged painfully toward his ribcage, beating in such a way that it physically pained him to listen to her words. He hoped that in time her demeanor would return to what he had remembered it being, but he knew that that would most likely not happen. She would continue the way she was, but perhaps in time he could tug a bit of her previous emotions from her, making her happier. There had to be something that he, as Prince of Reikai, could do for her.

"It was my mistake," she said, a tear streaking down her cheek, "they do not need to share my pain with me. I will take my punishment, but I will not force it upon anyone else."

Koenma turned his eyes from her, unsure of what to say. If he had not watched her for so long he might have questioned her willingness to give up everything, but he had, and he had often been amazed by her selflessness. She was an amazing human, one with a bright soul that deserved to be free rather than caged. "Perhaps," Koenma coughed, "you would like to see some of the Reikai beforehand. I could show you some of the places that you could go, since you will not be restricted to this one place. My father may not like it, but as long as you stay within the Reikai I'm sure…"

"Thank you," she smiled.

"I'm afraid I don't—"

"I made a terrible mistake," she said, "but I'm glad that I will have someone who might become my friend."

Koenma nodded, watching as her lips stretched into a smile once more. It was the expression he had been accustomed to seeing before her final trip into the past, and he wished to see more. She might think that she had made a grave mistake, but though the worlds had been split, now that her power would be added to the barrier, he was positive that in some way the worlds would be at peace for some time. She was going to make her mistake positive, and he was sure that in time she would be able to see it—and, he would wait to see that moment, because he was positive she would smile as she once did.

_-Fin_


End file.
